Portasar in Armenian Highlands – The Most Ancient Temple in the World

The world’s oldest temple complex in the Armenian Highlands (now in Turkey) discovered by German archaeologist Klaus Schmidt’s archaeological group is about 12 thousand years old.

According to scientists, the temple complex of Portasar is 5.5 thousand years older than the first cities of Mesopotamia and 7 thousand years older than the famous Stonehenge.

In size, this structure is somewhat inferior to Stonehenge and presumably consists of 20 stone circles, of which only four have been excavated by archaeologists. The diameter of these circles does not exceed 30 meters. On the rocks, archeologists discovered carved images of animals – wild boars, foxes, lions, birds, snakes, and scorpions.

According to the researchers, the people who built these structures did not have command of pottery and did not engage in farming. They lived in settlements and probably were hunters.

Previously, it was believed that such monumental buildings could be only built by civilizations with complex hierarchy, which was commonly believed to be achieved after the emergence of agriculture. However, the discovery of Portasar refutes this hypothesis, which is what makes it one of the most important archaeological discoveries.

Scientists are still at variance about the purposes for which the Portasar complex was erected. According to one version, religious rituals related to child-bearing were held there. Klaus Schmidt himself believed that Portasar was some kind of a place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of the Armenian Upland.

[…] lowering of the water level in Lake Sevan, a field with ancient graves measuring 800 x 100 m was discovered. On the hills at the southern end of the field, there are the enormous fortress of Lchashen and the […]